Floating the barrel and bedding the action should not have any impact on the value of the rifle other than to make it go up.
That is true statement to a collector/shooter. Not so much for a true "collector", you all know the "collector" I'm referring to the one that seeks models to only sit in the safe, or on display.
I personally ran into this dilemma with a 722 in .244 Remington which the barrel was pretty much shot out. After much thought I realized I don't have any intention of ever selling it. So off the barrel came, and a heavy barrel in 6mm CM with a oversized lug is now waiting to be headspaced, and currently sourcing a suitable stock either rework a 700 ADL stock (which I have on hand) to fit the 722 rear tang or use a chassis system ( currently bidding on one). The reason is the factory stock doesn't have enough wood to allow the barrel channel to be opened up without becoming flimsy.
To my mind's eye it would be a heirloom to pass down to my heirs.
To the shooter / collector if the barrel channel is opened up and bedding done correctly. I can't see where it would hurt the value of the gun. Not sure about increasing value except to a few.
The .222 is a great caliber, so yeah I would do it if I wanted to , or the gun needed it to meet a accuracy standard for me. I have seen a few that shot good in the factory configuration and when floated the barrel things went to crap. Only to find out that the pressure point was needed. That though was REALLY RARE.
The point is the "True Collector" is few and far between, a unicorn. The one that one usually runs into is the shooters that claim to be collector is what we run into when we decide to part ways with a firearm.
Just my thoughts, I spent 10 years with that 722 in that dilemma only to realize what I said above. Simply do what bring me joy, and quit worrying about unicorns.
